The Myanmar junta has removed Lieutenant General Moe Myint Tun from his leadership roles on key supervisory bodies overseeing foreign investment, trade and foreign exchange, following his arrest and investigation for corruption.
Until his arrest early this month, Moe Myint Tun chaired the junta-controlled Myanmar Investment Commission, Foreign Exchange Supervisory Committee and Central Committee on Ensuring Smooth Flow of Trade and Goods.
The regime replaced him in all three positions with Transport and Communications Minister General Mya Tun Oo on Monday and Tuesday, according to orders signed by Lieutenant General Aung Lin Dwe, the secretary of the junta’s governing State Administration Council.
The junta launched an internal investigation into corruption allegations against Moe Myint Tun on Tuesday.
The investigation came days after the 55-year-old general was placed under house arrest and interrogated following the arrest of one of his key subordinates and the interrogations of hundreds of businesspeople who had dealings with Moe Myint Tun.
As part of a campaign to rein in soaring commodity prices and foreign exchange rates, the junta arrested Brig-Gen Yan Naung Soe, who was the joint secretary of the Central Committee on Ensuring Smooth Flow of Trade and Goods, earlier this month. Since then, the regime has interrogated hundreds of importers, exporters, bankers and officials at military-owned businesses, including Myawaddy Bank and conglomerate Myanmar Economic Corporation.
The interrogations allegedly revealed that Moe Myint Tun squirreled away millions of US dollars in bribes from businesspeople over the past two years. Some businesspeople told The Irrawaddy they had to pay him at least US$20,000 or the equivalent in gold and gifts—Louis XIII cognac, with a list price of more than $4,000 for a 750ml bottle, was highly preferred—just to meet him.
Ranked number six in the Myanmar military, Moe Myint Tun was treated by regime chief Min Aung Hlaing as his protégé. He is the youngest member of the regime’s governing State Administration Council. The junta has not yet made any announcement regarding his position on the council.
